Kanji Recipe: A Summer Affair You Can’t Resist!

Kanji is a probiotic Indian drink, made with fermented vegetables. Laden with health benefits, it’s a must-try!

Make your own Kanji this summer.

(Photo: Ankita Das/The Quint)

For ages, traditional fermented foods have been an integral part of Indian cuisine. From the idlis and dosas in the south to the dhoklas in the west. Though in the north it is more about the butter chicken and chaats, the one fermented drink which north Indians can’t get enough of is ‘Kanji’.

Kanji is a fermented drink made from water, black carrots and beetroot. It has a pungent, zingy flavour which might take a while to grow on you. But the fermented food lovers will definitely enjoy this!

Kanji’s old story...

It is believed that Rishi Kashyap has mentioned this drink in his ayurvedic thesis ‘Kashyap Samita’. He says that Kanjika is a sour, fermented rice dish, famous in the south. Later, ‘Kanjika’ was used to classify all fermented foods. The north Indian Kanji is believed to have emerged out of that old tradition.

Kanji ferments so well of the bacteria in the air and the yeast present in the vegetable skin.

It is a probiotic drink that is extremely good for your gut. Apart from this, it tones the blood, cleanses the liver and aids in digestion. Though, it is largely made during the winters and during the festival of Holi, as black carrots are usually available only during that season. However, you can make this drink round the year and simply use orange carrots instead of black ones.

Kanji is an acquired taste as the idea of consuming something salty and sour is not everybody’s cup of tea. Especially during summer days, people are tempted to have something sweet and chilled, but fermented drinks serve as natural coolers and are so beneficial that people should at least try to develop a taste for it! In that spirit, here goes the recipe:

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds (rai), crushed
• 4-5 black carrots (orange carrots can also be used), peeled
• 1 large beetroot, peeled
• 6-7 cups filtered water (or enough to cover the vegetables)
• 1 tablespoon salt (adjust according to taste)

Method:

1. Crush the mustard seeds in a mortar and pestle (it’s okay if they’re coarsely ground).

2. Chop the carrots and beetroot lengthwise.

3. Combine all the ingredients in a glass jar and cover with a lid or cheesecloth.

4. Let the jar sit in a sunny spot for at least one week – stirring with a wooden spoon daily.

5. Once the kanji develops a tangy flavour, that means the drink is fermented.

6. Strain the drink, save the pickles to enjoy later.

7. Put the drink in the refrigerator to chill.

Recipe: Puja Dang

Director of Photography: Athar Rather

Editor: Puneet Bhatia

Producer: Chandni Sharma